Compensating watch-regu lator



(No Model.) v

W. H; SHEAR.

GOMPENSATING WATCH REGULATOR.

No. 895,182. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

I v W/II/IIIIII Y am f N PETERS. Pholn-Lilhogmpher, Washmgmn. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEIQE.

VILLIAM H. SHEAR, OF ALBANY, NlfllY YORK.

COMPENSATlING WATCH=REGU LATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,182, dated December 25, 1888. Application filed March 10, 1888. $e1ial Nov 266,856 (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SHEAR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compensating-Balances for Time-Pieces; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and ex act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in means for automatically compensating for the change of rate in time-pieces of the balance and balance-spring, due to their expansion and contraction under variations of temperature.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrative of my invention, Figure 1 represents a plan view of a watch-balance embodying my improvements, and Figs. 2 and represent, respectively, views thereof, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken upon planes indicated by the lines .90 J3 and y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of one of the adjusting-nuts.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughoutthe several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the back plate of a time-piece, provided with means-as, for instance, the raised supplemental plate 2for suitably receiving the end of the shaft 3 of the balance-wheel 4t. Said balance-wheel, as is usual, is provided with the ordinary recoil or balance spring, 5, connected at its inner end to the balance-wheel shaft.

The prime element of the compensating device consists of a compensating compound bar made up of an inner strip, 6, of steel, fixedly secured at one end, 7, to the back plate, and an outer strip, 8, of. brass or some other metal having a greater degree of expansion at like temperatures than steel, the two strips being carefully soldered together, and for convenience being bent into circular form. At a point, 9, upon this bar is located a lug, to which is pivotallyconnected a link, 10, which link is likewise pivotally connected to a lug or arm, 11, integral with a rotatory annulus,

12, and having a depending projection, 1 to which is secured the outer end of the balance-spring. Beneath the annulus 12 is located the rotatory annulus it, provided with an outwardly-prejecting arm, 15, said regulating-arm bearing the plate 115, having the usual curb-pins, 17, for determining what length of the spring shall be involved in action. The annulus l2 and annulus it are both free to rotate independently of each other, according as the arms 1] and 15 are moved in one direction or the other, but are held against endwise displacement by the retaining cap-phece 18, secured to the supplemental plate by screws 1!) or the like.

At the free end, it), of the eompensat lug-bar is pivotally connected a curved stem, 21, screwthreaded, as shown, for the reception of the internally-screw-tl1readed nut 22, which is adjustable thereon, said nut being provided with a central circumlerential groove or recess for the reception of the arm 15. The outer end of the stem 21 is straightened and formed into a return-loop, 223, located within a central annular groove of a nut, 24, adjustable upon a fixed screwthreaded stem, 25, supported in suitable bearings, 20, upon the back plate.

The parts of my invention being Otmstructed and arrz'tnged as described, its mode of operation is as follows: By adjusting the nut 22 I determine the position of the curb-pins 17 with respect to the balance'spring, thereby fixing the rate of the balance-wheel, and by adjusting the nut 2i I swing the stem 21 inwardly or outwardly upon the pivot, thereby determining the amount of movement to be communicated to the arm 15 by expansion or contraction of the conipcnsating-bar. As long as the temperature at which these adjustments are made is constant the position of the arm 15 and of the curb-pins 17 remains the same. A rise in temperature, lengthening the balance-spring and increasing the diameter of the l.)alance-\\'l1eel, would in the absence of the compensating mechanism cause the time-piece to lose time. This effect is, however, obviated by the use of my improvements, as follows: 13y reason of the unequal expansion of the two metals in the compensating-bar at the rise in temperature referred to, one end being fixed, the said bar tends to move in an inward curve, thereby causing the stem 21 to move in the direction of its length toward its free end. This motion is imparted through the intermediacy of the link 10 to the annulus 12, which is accordingly rotated. The major part of the compensating action is thus effected. The re mainder, however, is due to the longitudinal movement of the stem 21, the effect of which is to cause the nut 22 to act upon the regulating-arm 15, thereby rotating the annulus 14 and at the same time causing the curb-pins 17 to shift their position so as to shorten the effective part of the balance-spring. As all of these movements are practically simultaneous with the variations in length of the balance-spring and diameter of the balancewheel,due to the same rise in temperature, it will be apparent that the rate will remain constant.

It is evident that a fall in temperature will occasion an operation of the parts converse to that just described and a corresponding compensation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a time-piece, the combination, with a balance-wheel and spring, of a compensatingbar, a screw-threaded stem pivoted to the free end of said bar and provided with a nut adjustable thereon, a regulating-arm engaging with said nut, said arm being provided with depending curb-pins, a fixed screw-threaded rod having a nut adjustable thereon, the outer end of the screw-threaded stem engaging with said nut, a second arm connected to the outer end gflthe balance-spring, and a link connecting said arm to the compensating-bar, substantially as described.

2. In a time-piece, the combination, with the balance-wheel and spring, of a compensating-bar, a screw-threaded stem pivoted to the free end of said bar and provided with a nut adjustable thereon, a regulating-arm engaging with said nut and provided with depending curb-pins, and a fixed screw-threaded rod having a nut adjustable thereon, the outer end of the screw-threaded stem engaging with said nut, substantially as described.

3. In a time-piece, the combination, with the balance-wheel and spring, of a compensating-bar, an arm connected to the outer end of the spring, and a link intermediate of and connecting said arm and bar, substantially as described.

4. In a time-piece, the combination, with the balance-wheel and spring, of a compensating-bar, a regulating-arm connected with said bar and having depending curb-pins, and a second arm connected to the spring and bar, substantially as described.

5. In a time-piece, the combination, with the balance-wheel and spring, of a compensating-bar of circular contour partially surrounding the same, a regulating-arm having depending curb-pins and connected with the outer end of said bar, and a second arm substantially diametrically opposite said first bar and connected to the outer end of the spring, and a pivoted connecting-link intermediate of and connecting the bar and second arm, substantially as described.

6. In a time-piece, the combination, with the regulating-arm 15 and stem 22, of the adjusting-nuts provided with annular circumferential grooves for the reception of the free ends of said arm and stem, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAH H. SHEAR.

\Vi tnesses ALDEN. CHESTER, ERNEST W. RIECK. 

